Scene: Art Studio, After School

Katherine sat alone in the school's art room, the only sound being the quiet scratch of her pencil against the paper. The afternoon light filtered through the windows, casting long shadows across the empty tables. The scent of acrylic paint and linseed oil hung in the air, mingling with the faint smell of erasers and graphite.

She'd come here after class to clear her head, as she often did. The familiar motions of drawing soothed her, allowing her to focus on something other than the mess of thoughts swirling in her mind. Today, though, even that wasn't working.

Her hand hovered over the page, uncertain, as she glanced at the half-finished drawing in front of her. It was a portrait, though not of any specific person. Just a face. But the longer she stared at it, the more she realized that the face had somehow come to resemble Tommy's.

Katherine scowled at herself and quickly turned the paper over, hiding the image. It wasn't the first time she'd caught herself doing that. Every time her mind wandered lately, it seemed to settle on Tommy. The way his brow furrowed when he concentrated. The sound of his voice when he joked with Jerry. The way he didn't even realize how talented he was.

Katherine shook her head, setting her pencil down. This is stupid, she thought. She could hardly even talk to him most of the time, let alone tell him how she felt. Every time she tried, her words got stuck in her throat, her heart racing like she was about to leap off a cliff.

Besides, it wasn't like he saw her that way. She was just the quiet girl. The one who barely spoke, who sat on the edges of their group while the others carried the conversation. Maddie was the one who got attention. Maddie, with her bright confidence and bold fashion choices. What chance did Katherine have next to that?

Her fingers absently traced the edge of her sketchbook, the soft scratch of the paper grounding her. She'd thought about telling him so many times. Maybe if she found the right moment, said the right thing... maybe he wouldn't laugh. Maybe he'd understand. But what if he didn't? What if he looked at her like she was crazy? What if he told her he only saw her as a friend?

The thought made her stomach twist. She'd rather stay silent forever than risk that.

The door to the art room creaked open, and Katherine's head snapped up, heart pounding. For a split second, she thought it might be Tommy, but it wasn't. It was Maddie, sauntering in with her usual casual confidence, her long blonde hair bouncing behind her.

"Katie! There you are." Maddie slid into the seat next to her, tossing her purse onto the table. "I was looking for you."

Katherine shrugged, forcing a small smile. "Just... drawing."

Maddie glanced at the sketchbook, then back at Katherine with a raised eyebrow. "Anything good?"

"Just practicing," Katherine muttered, not wanting to admit she'd been drawing Tommy's face for the better part of an hour.

Maddie leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs. "You know, you should come to the party tomorrow night. Everyone's going. Even Tommy."

Katherine's heart gave a painful lurch at the mention of his name, but she quickly looked away, pretending to focus on a paintbrush sitting nearby. "I don't know. I'm not really into parties."

"You're not into anything," Maddie teased, her tone light but with that familiar bite. "Come on, Katie. You've been stuck in this art room for weeks. You need to get out there. Have some fun."

Katherine bit her lip. Maddie made it sound so easy, like all she had to do was show up, and everything would magically fall into place. But the idea of standing in a crowded room, trying to make small talk, trying to figure out if Tommy even noticed her—it all felt too overwhelming.

"I'll think about it," Katherine said, though she didn't mean it.

Maddie gave her a knowing smile, leaning in closer. "You know, if you like Tommy, you should just tell him. It's not like he's going to bite your head off."

Katherine's face turned red, and she stared down at the table, her fingers gripping the edge of her sketchbook a little too tightly. "I don't—" she began, but Maddie cut her off.

"Please. It's obvious." Maddie rolled her eyes, though not unkindly. "You've been crushing on him for months, Katie. Don't think I haven't noticed."

Katherine's heart sank. Was I really that obvious? She felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. If Maddie had noticed, did that mean Tommy had, too? Did everyone know?

"I can't," Katherine whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Why not?" Maddie asked, genuinely curious. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Katherine looked up at her, meeting Maddie's gaze for the first time. "He'll say no."

There was a long pause, and for once, Maddie didn't have a quick reply. She simply sat there, watching Katherine with an expression that was softer than usual.

"Maybe," Maddie said after a while. "But what if he doesn't?"

Katherine wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe that there was a chance, however small, that Tommy might feel the same way. But the fear of rejection, of ruining the fragile friendship they had, kept her rooted to the spot. It was safer to stay quiet, to admire from a distance.

"Just think about it," Maddie said with a shrug, standing up. "The party's tomorrow. No pressure."

Katherine nodded, though the knot in her stomach told her that the pressure was already there, weighing her down like a stone. As Maddie left the room, Katherine let out a long breath and turned her sketchbook back over, staring at the half-finished portrait of Tommy.

She picked up her pencil again, her fingers trembling slightly as she added a few more lines to his face.

What if he doesn't?

The thought lingered in her mind, a small flicker of hope, but it wasn't enough to chase away the fear.